Dirty Talker (Slayers Hockey #4) - Mira Lyn Kelly Page 0,26

there was anything weird lingering between us.

Newsflash: there wasn’t. Not from his side anyway.

It was just Wade being Wade. No weighted pauses. No big, muscley hockey player prowling out of bed to back me into my room. Just a nice smile and a guy making plans for the day with his fake girlfriend.

Perfect.

Ten minutes later, he meets me on the grassy strip in front of the truck. And ten minutes after that, we’re stretched and chatting as easily as we have all along.

It’s another beautiful morning, and when we get out to the old Enderson water tower, instead of just running around it, Wade stops and gives me that too-tempting grin. “You afraid of heights?”

He cocks his head toward the tower, a dare gleaming in his eyes.

I love climbing. It’s something I picked up imagining, like golf, skiing, and tennis, it would be as good a skill to have in business as my MBA. So far the only use I’ve had for it is my own enjoyment, but that’s plenty.

“We’re going up? Isn’t that illegal?”

“Yep. And I wouldn’t recommend it anywhere other than Enderson. But here… Well, it’s the best view in town, and let’s just say I’ve got one last free pass.” Wade bites his bottom lip and then pulls a face. “But you can’t tell anyone. For real. This is the only thing I do that breaks the rules. And my dad’s buddy has been looking the other way since I was in high school. We have permission. So if you want to… we can.”

I’ve never done anything like that before… I don’t walk outside the lines. Ever. But for some reason, this man brings out a part of me that wants to grab hold of the adventure and just say yes.

“I’d love to.”

A few minutes later, I’m rubbing my hands against my shorts as I sit over the treetops, rolling fields, and a handful of lakes with my feet dangling so high above the ground it feels like I’m flying.

“You weren’t kidding. It’s gorgeous up here.”

“This is my favorite spot. Where I always came to think when I had a decision to make.” Wade leans back on his arms with a peaceful smile. “Sometimes it was serious stuff, like how to handle hockey and football and what I wanted for my future. Sometimes it was about a girl.”

My jaw drops. “Oh my God, Wade, is this a historic make-out point we’re visiting? Is this where you brought your girls?”

He laughs as a breeze plays through his hair.

“Believe it or not, you’re the first person I’ve ever brought up here.”

That’s not the answer I’m expecting, and a shiver tickles over my arms that has nothing to do with the moving air. “Why bring me?”

“You’ve given me this week back. And pretty sure I promised you some fun. Said I’d show you the best Enderson has to offer. Ask me? This is it.”

“Well, thank you.”

We stay there a while, talking about popcorn and people who mix candy into it, what to do on rainy days, and how he thinks I might be a secret jock. He’s nuts and he’s kind of wonderful. Then after we climb down, we walk back to the hotel, taking our time. No rush. No hurry. No emails or regulatory meetings. Just talking and laughing and me trying not to notice how different it feels to be with him than it’s ever felt with a guy before.

Harlow

“I thought there was a rule about no touching?” Janie asks a few hours later, swirling a fry through her ketchup at our table in Sonny’s Café. It seems like half the town stopped over to say hello to Wade when we first walked in… and even more to check in with Walt and Janie about the wedding.

She holds it up, and Walt leans over and takes it from her fingers with his mouth. They are ridiculously cute together.

“No touching the girls. The other way around though?” He winces at his brother. “Even, so, last night wasn’t normal. Bro, I’ve never seen anything like that in my life.”

Wade shrugs.

Walt turns to me with earnest eyes. “You should have seen this guy putting her off like a champ. Typical Wade, trying to be polite. Doesn’t want to be a dick or make a scene. Had to be a solid twenty minutes he kept setting this chick back from him with all the ‘No, thank you’s and ‘Sorry, I have a girlfriend’ business.”

I bite my lip, imagining Wade trying to fight